Renewing Tenancies Smoothly

Tenancy "renewal," in the sense of signing a new fixed-term agreement when the old one runs out, no longer exists for private tenancies in England. Since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished fixed terms from 1 May 2026, every tenancy is now an Assured Periodic Tenancy that simply continues, month to month, until either the tenant gives two months' notice to leave or the landlord ends it using a Section 8 ground. There is no anniversary paperwork to sign, no renewal fee to charge, and no fixed term to negotiate.

That does not mean nothing happens at the point a renewal would once have been due. This guide covers what replaced the old renewal process, how to handle the things that used to be bundled into a renewal conversation, rent, compliance, and the relationship itself, and what to do if a tenant does want to leave.

What changed on 1 May 2026

Before the reforms, a typical tenancy ran a 12-month fixed term, after which a landlord and tenant would either agree a new fixed term (often with an updated rent), let the tenancy roll onto a periodic arrangement under the same terms, or the landlord would decide not to continue and serve a Section 21 notice. That decision point, and the negotiation that came with it, is what most landlords mean by "renewal."

Since 1 May 2026, that decision point does not exist in the same way. Every existing fixed-term tenancy converted automatically into an Assured Periodic Tenancy on that date, without any new paperwork, and every new tenancy starts as periodic from day one. There is no fixed term to expire, so there is nothing to renew in the contractual sense; the tenancy simply continues unless one side takes a specific action to end or change it. Our guide to the Renters' Rights Act covers this transition and the wider reforms in full.

What replaces the renewal conversation

The practical tasks that used to happen at renewal have not gone away, they have just become separate, individually triggered processes rather than one bundled event.

• Reviewing the rent. Under the old system, a rent increase at renewal was often just written into the new fixed-term agreement. Now, any increase has to go through the formal Section 13 process, with at least two months' written notice, and can only happen once every 12 months per tenancy regardless of whether you think of it as a "renewal" or not. Our guide on how much a landlord can increase rent covers building a defensible figure and the tribunal risk if a tenant disputes it.
• Refreshing compliance certificates. Gas safety checks, EICR renewals and EPC updates run on their own statutory cycles, not on the tenancy's anniversary, so they need tracking independently rather than being bundled into a renewal date that no longer exists.
• Checking in with the tenant. Even without a contract to sign, the point that used to be a renewal is still a natural moment to have a conversation: is anything not working, does the tenant plan to stay, is there anything you should address before it becomes a bigger issue. This costs nothing and tends to catch small frictions before they turn into a complaint or a decision to leave.
• Updating the paperwork you do still hold. While there is no new tenancy agreement to sign, it is still worth confirming the tenant's current details, any change in occupants, and that your records reflect who is actually living at the property.

Keeping a good tenant without a new contract

Because there is no renewal event forcing a conversation, it is easy for a good tenancy to simply continue on autopilot for years without either side ever proactively checking in. That is not necessarily a problem, a stable, quiet tenancy that runs itself is a good outcome, but it does mean rent can drift further from market rate than it would have under the old system's more natural renewal-linked reviews, and small maintenance issues can go unmentioned for longer than they should.

Building a light-touch annual check-in, separate from and in addition to any routine inspection, keeps this from happening by accident. A short message around the anniversary of the tenancy start date, asking how things are going and whether there is anything the tenant wants to raise, achieves most of what a renewal conversation used to achieve, without any of the paperwork.

If a tenant wants to leave

A tenant on a periodic tenancy can end it at any time by giving at least two months' written notice, referencing the tenancy start date. There is no need for the tenant to wait for a fixed term to end, since periodic tenancies do not have one, and once valid notice is given, there is little a landlord can do to prevent the tenant leaving on that date if they are determined to.

If a tenant gives notice, that is the point to start the process covered in our void periods guide, lining up marketing, referencing and compliance checks for the incoming tenant so as little time as possible passes with the property empty and unlet.

If you want the tenancy to end

Because Section 21 no longer exists, a landlord who wants to end a tenancy the tenant has not chosen to leave needs a specific Section 8 ground, whether that is wanting to sell or move in yourself (Grounds 1 and 1A, which need four months' notice and cannot be used in the tenancy's first 12 months), serious rent arrears, or antisocial behaviour. There is no general "we are not renewing" option available anymore; every route to ending a tenancy against the tenant's wishes now needs a specific, evidenced ground.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a "renewal date" still triggers anything automatically. Nothing happens on its own; rent reviews, compliance checks and check-ins each need their own separate trigger and tracking.
• Trying to negotiate a new fixed term. Fixed terms are no longer available for private tenancies in England; offering one, or asking a tenant to sign a document that implies one, has no legal effect and can confuse a tenant about their actual rights.
• Letting rent drift for years without review, then proposing a large single increase that a tenant is far more likely to challenge at tribunal than a series of smaller, well-evidenced increases would have been.
• Forgetting that a periodic tenancy needs no action from the landlord to continue. Unlike a fixed term that could lapse if nobody acted, a periodic tenancy simply carries on; the risk is inattention to the things that do still need managing, not the tenancy itself expiring unexpectedly.

How Property HQ helps

Property HQ tracks each tenancy's start date, last rent review and certificate renewal dates in one place, so even without a fixed-term renewal date to anchor to, you can see at a glance when a rent review is next available or when it is worth checking in with a tenant, rather than relying on a system that no longer exists.

Disclaimer

This guide reflects the tenancy reforms under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 as understood in August 2026. It is general information for UK landlords, not legal advice. Check GOV.UK or a qualified solicitor before relying on this guide for a specific tenancy.